Foreign nurse with questions

[Garviel.Loken]

Hi!

I have a couple of questions that even my vigorous use of Google Fu and surfing this forum haven't been able to answer and I hope that you can.

1. Am I correct in assuming that the "job freeze" that is pretty much a global thing is still in effect in Canada? That is to say that the prospect of a foreign nurse coming over there and getting a job is not all that possible? I got the impression that nurse managers and people in HR and forced by law to first employ Canadian nurses and if no viable options are found then employ a foreign option, am I right?

2. IF however a hospital or (hopefully) a rural clinic or some other option in the healthcare field would want to employ a Finnish nurse, how would the procedure go? I send all my credentials to the Nursing Board and they take their sweet time evaluating them. This time differs from Province to Province.

It's just that I'd really want to move to Canada and work. I have over a 10 years of experience working in psychiatry. Compared to Canada, in regard of being a RPN, RN or what ever diploma, I would say that I guess that I am a RN. Here in Finland we don't have speciality, just more of a in depth view of certain field. I studied 4 years in polytechnic.

I'd like to work in a mental hospital or in a prison, the chances of either of those might not be high, but that is why I'm asking these questions. And if they have been answered then I'm sorry.

[loriangel14, RN]

1. Yes the job market is pretty tough in most of Canada. Having some experience in a specialty will help a little. Yes employers have to prove that there wasn't a Canadian citizen that couldn't fill the position first.

2. You have to apply to the NNAS first. If they give you the ok and you meet the requirements of the province that you wish to be licensed in then you can write the NCLEX. If you pass you will be given a license. It's not that they deliberately hold up the process, they are dealing with a lot of applications and thus the process takes much time. You would also need to sort out a work visa.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Moved to the International nursing forum

There are different routes to apply to Canada. If you are skilled and meet skilled route that is an option as a employer doesn't have to think about paying $$ for a LMIA which basically means employer has advertised across all of Canada and can not fill the job with someone already in Canada either as a citizen or permanent residency.

Job wise well a lot will depend on province and where in province. Rurally you may have an easier time but you will still have to meet requirements and most if not all job adverts I have seen require meeting provincial requirements and have either passed NCLEX or have permission to sit the exam. As mentioned starting point is NNAS and that process isn't necessarily quick